State of play:
- The Dream Chaser Cargo System (DCCS) is a retro-futuristic spaceplane, designed to lift off atop a conventional rocket and land on a runway.
- It is derived from NASA's HL-20 spaceplane concept of the 1980s and the X-20 Dyna-Soar of the 1960s.
Why it matters:
Despite the ISS nearing the end of its service, NASA's commercial program is innovating with new cargo vehicles like Dream Chaser, which distinguishes itself from other spacecraft such as the Russian Progress, SpaceX Dragons, and Northrop Grumman Cygnus.
By the numbers:
- DCCS can carry 11,000 lb (5,000 kg) of pressurized and 1,100 lb (500 kg) of unpressurized cargo to orbit.
- It can return 3,860 lb (1,750 kg) of cargo to Earth with re-entry forces of 1.5 g.
215
